Linda

Mary and Angelo Carpinito have created a very inviting space for dining at their restaurant, Amici’s Cucina, on Main Street in Waterville. While there were people in the bar — a space that also offers tables for dining — we had the interior dining room almost to ourselves when we arrived at 5 p.m. for an early dinner before a show at the Waterville Opera House.

Candles and nice lighting give this restaurant real charm as does the Italian artwork, copper-topped tables and background music. We were seated in a stunningly beautiful alcove by a window decorated with lights, white ribbons and ornaments. It feels cozy here, even though it’s an open dining room.

Mary invited us to go out back to the kitchen to meet the staff. I was struck by two things: how sparkling clean it was and its very small size. Clearly, this is a staff that can work well together. The restaurant is pretty spacious, so I would have thought they’d need a big kitchen.

Mary explained that everyone has their station and works well together. And they must, because the restaurant was full by 6 p.m. and the service was great. Five people were staffing the kitchen due to the Opera House performance that evening. They are the only downtown restaurant that takes reservations, so they are very busy on nights like this.

George ordered the sachettis for an appetizer, a dish we both loved the last time we were here. This is a fresh pasta dish, little “beggar’s purses” that hold a porcini mushroom filling. The deep flavor comes from the toppings -— mushrooms, spinach and cheese — and all this rests in a white wine sauce.

Angelo sent out a broccoli rabe appetizer that was on that evening’s specials menu. I had never tried this vegetable before, but adored its slightly bitter flavor. A link of lean hot sausage served on the side made a great combination.

The warm bread with seasoned olive oil had arrived along with glasses of Checci’s Chianti Classico — a favorite ever since we visited a Checci winery in Italy. While sharing the appetizers, I commented to George that this was plenty of dinner for me. I had forgotten that dinners here include a choice of salads or soup and, of course, there was an entree course to come, too.

The Ceasar salad was a nice size for us, and left room so we could tackle our entrees. The house-made dressing had a nice lemon flavor — fresh and delicious. George had anchovies on his and really enjoyed it.

Designer pastas are on the menu: choose your pasta, type of sauce and a protein topping if you’d like. Very tempting. And there are American entrees, if you must, including baked stuffed haddock, lobster and steak. But I personally could never forgo one of their pasta specialties or Italian entrees. I remembered how great the Mona Lisa dish was last time we dined here.

But we were determined to try new entrees, so I ordered what was listed as the chef’s choice of creamy risotto. That night, the chef chose sausage (choice of hot or sweet), onions and red peppers. My first bite brought me right back to Italy. In one word — amazing. The rice was cooked to perfection and it was very creamy. Why can’t mine come out like that? It was a big serving and, okay, I will admit that I ate some for breakfast the next morning. Mmmmm.

Lots of “Mmmmm’s” were heard from both of us throughout the meal. The food here is fresh, served piping hot and delectable. Take advantage of the fact that they take reservations, make one and head to Amichi’s for a memorable meal.

George

I love the whole idea that an Argentinian chef can create Italian food that rivals any we’ve enjoyed in Italy. Chef Angelo is awesome. And sure, you can get steaks and seafood — the traditional meals served all over Maine — and the pizza is reported to be superb, but I could dine here for weeks on end and never emerge from the Designer and Specialty Pastas and the Italian Entrees menus.

Past favorites here include Veal Saltimbocca and The Mona Lisa, but Linda insisted we try new dishes this time. I’d already violated her dictum with the saccettis appetizer (absolutely fantastic), so I pored over the Italian dishes until my eyes settled on Meat Lasagna. I read, “Layers and layers of hamburger, sausage blend and pepperoni with homemade marinara sauce and a wonderful blend of cheeses.” Yes, yes, yes!

I later discovered that you can get the saccettis with sausage as an entree, and that is now on my must-have list for our next visit.

Our server, Terri, could be called Terri Terrific, because she is very personable, knowledgeable and was always there when we needed help, food, wine or a good story. Her teenagers, daughter Tesla and son Devin, both work here, as does Mary’s daughter and the daughter of the bartender. It’s a real family enterprise.

I really love the bread here, but at one point I heard Terri ask a group at a nearby table that was ordering garlic bread, “Would you like that with or without bacon?” Perhaps I misunderstood, but bacon with garlic bread sure does sound intriguing!

When my lasagna arrived, I grabbed pen and notebook and started to write: “it’s a towe . . .” — when Linda exclaimed, “that’s a tower of lasagna.” I turned around my notebook and showed her that this was just what I was writing.

The lasagna was wonderfully flavorful and, yes, it had layers and layers of hamburger, sausage blend and pepperoni with just-right homemade pasta. Truly yummy, and I was only able to eat half of it. I was staring at a beautiful painting, hoping for more appetite, when Terri arrived to inquire about dessert.

She arrived with a tray full of desserts and told us about each one. While Linda had emphasized, a bit earlier, that we would not have room for dessert, she cracked and allowed me to order a cannoli. It was crisp, sweet and wonderful.

For about a year now, Amici’s has been hosting and catering events, including weddings. Someone had a baby shower here the previous Sunday, and I couldn’t imagine a better place for that. With wine and pastas, of course!

And then it was off to the Opera House for a performance of “Kitchen Witches,” a hilarious show starring our friend Birdie Katz. Mary told us that the Opera House was generating lots of business for her restaurant and others, and singing the praises of Dick Dyer, communications director for the Opera House. If you have not yet attended an event there, it has the best acoustics of anyplace in the state, and we’ve become regulars — along with lots of others.

Visit George’s website — georgesmithmaine.com — for book reviews, outdoor news and all Travelin’ Maine(rs) columns, found listed in the “Best of Maine” section.

Bob Duschesne’s Birding Adventure with Maine Huts and Trails

Linda and I are already eagerly anticipating a Maine woods adventure with Maine Huts & Trails on March 6-7, when Maine’s top birding guide and author, Bob Duchesne, will host a bird identification class and bird walk.

We’ve been trying to schedule a visit to Maine Huts & Trails — a system of four backcountry lodges and more than 80 miles of trails in western Maine — for a long time, for this column.

When we got the flyer from Nancy Marshall Communications announcing Bob’s birding adventure, it was just what we needed to get us up there. On March 6, we’ll snowshoe into the Flagstaff Hut located on the east shore of Flagstaff Lake (and the shortest hike from trailhead to hut in the system). That night, Bob will present a class on bird identification. We’ve birded with Bob before and can promise you an entertaining evening.

The next day, Bob will lead us out onto the trails to find some birds. Don’t forget your binoculars!

We’ve heard that the food at Huts and Trails is fantastic, and the accommodations are very comfortable, so we’re expecting a fun weekend. In no way is this roughing it.

For 25 years, Bob has served in a variety of leadership positions with Maine Audubon, but I first got acquainted with him when he got elected to the legislature, where he served four terms before being term-limited out. He sat out two years and came back this year for another term.

Bob spent four years creating the “Maine Birding Trail Book,” something that goes with us everywhere we travel in the state. A version of the book was turned into a pamphlet. Hundreds of thousands have been distributed at tourist and other venues the last few years.

Bob’s Saturday morning radio show on 92.9 in Bangor, called “Bob Duchesne’s Wild Maine,” is really good. You can listen to it online.

If you want to join us for this adventure, visit www.mainehuts.org or call Cayce Frigon at 265-2400.

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